Richard Woodward, Jr. (1669-1752)
}} Richard Woodward, Jr. was born on March 1, 1669 in Cheshire, England to Richard Woodward and Jane Nyle. He immigrated to America before 1695 and settled in Pennsylvania. He was a Quaker and attended meetings in Concord, Chester County, Pennsylvania. At the meeting of January 11, 1695, his marriage to Esther Davis was proposed and approved on March 15, 1695. They married shortly after in Concord, Pennsylvania. Esther died most likely in 1700, of childbirth. In the Concord monthly meeting on November 12, 1700, the approval for the marriage of Richard Woodward and Deborah Stanfield was mentioned. They most likely married within that year. Deborah most likely died before 1637, as she is not mentioned in any of her children's marriage certificates of 1733 and 1737 and the information regarding Richard's third marriage. Richard's father, Richard Woodward, Sr. died in 1706. He did not leave his land to his eldest son as was the custom. Instead, he left it jointly to his wife and his youngest son. Richard Woodward, Jr. acquired his own land, a tract of 1,000 acres in 1724. He may have owned land before that as he is assessed for taxes in 1715 in Bradford Township. When Bradford Monthly Meeting was divided from Concord Monthly Meeting in 1737, Richard Woodward was designated Elder of the Meeting house. On August 6, 1739, Richard Woodward and Susanna Cureton requested permission to marry at the Newark Monthly Meeting. Richard Woodward was directed to bring a certificate from Bradford Monthly Meeting that he was clear to marry, and Jacob Chandler and Samuel Grave were appointed to "inspect the widow's affairs as regards her husband's will." On September 3, 1739, Richard and Susanna appeared before the meeting and were married on September 29th. It was reported as orderly to Newark Monthly Meeting. Susanna then received a certificate to Bradford Monthly Meeting. The wedding took place at Bradford Monthly Meeting. Family signing the certificate included Thomas and Rachel Martin Woodward, brother and sister-in-law; John Newlin, husband of sister Mary Woodward; Evan and Sarah Woodward Jones, daughter and son-in-law; daughter Elizabeth Woodward Thornbury, Joseph Underwood, husband of daughter Hannah, George Entrikin, husband of daughter Mary, and Thomas Cureton, possibly son of Susanna. Abraham and Mary Marshall, parents of daughter-in-law Eliza Marshall Woodward were among the guests. Daughter and son-in-law Esther and Christopher Wilson were among the guests but did not sign as family. Susanna died before 1743. On July 30, 1743, Richard Woodward and Martha Heald appeared before Newark Monthly Meeting to request permission to marry. Richard Woodward was directed to bring a certificate from Bradford Monthly Meeting and Thomas amd Jacob Chandler were appointed to see "that the will of her former husband be complyed with." This was not a problem as the will of John Heald had been probated on November 13, 1740. On the September 5, 1743, Richard and Martha appeared for the second time and were given permission to marry. They married on September 30, 1743 and it was reported orderly to Newark. Martha is named as his wife in his will. Richard was considered to be prosperous, as he referred to his house as a "mansion" and his acreage of land as a "plantation." His oldest son William is left only five shillings and no land. His sons John and Richard are left with land. Richard had conveyed 253 acres of the southeast corner of his original one thousand acres to William on June 16, 1734, shortly after William married, so this is probably the reason none is left to him in the will. His son James had died in May of 1748, so he is not mentioned. It may have been James's death that made him aware of his own mortality as he started writing his will in 1748 though he did not sign it until 1752. Richard died in 1752 in West Bradford, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Gallery Image:01111695RichardWoodward.PNG|Richard Woodward and Esther Davis' marriage announcement, January 1, 1695 Image:03151695RichardWoodward.PNG|Richard Woodward and Esther Davis' marriage announcement, March 15, 1695 __SHOWFACTBOX__